Massaging device

ABSTRACT

A body massager including a frame which extends about a user&#39;&#39;s body and is movable upwardly and downwardly relative thereto, and carries a series of circularly spaced rollers for contacting and massaging the body, with the rollers being spring urged inwardly against the body to follow its contours.

United States Patent [191 Kupchi nski June 4, 1974 1 MASSAGING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Edward C. Kupchinski, 424 S.

Burlington Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. 90057 [22] Filed: Nov. 24, 1972 [21] Appl. No.:309,440

[52] US. Cl. 128/57 [51] Int. Cl A6lh 15/00 [58] Field of Search 128/57, 58, 24.3

[56] References Cited I UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,274,799 8/l9l8 Shurtleff 128/57 l,757,060 5/1930 Rieth 128/57 3,583,396 6/l97l Landis l28/57 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 2,990 I908 Great Britain 128/57 Primary Examiner-Lawrence W. Trapp Attorney, Agent, or Firm-William P. Green 5 7 1 ABSTRACT A body massager including a frame which extends about a users body and is movable upwardly and downwardly relative thereto, and carries a series of circularly spaced rollers for contacting and massaging the body, with the rollers being spring urged inwardly against the body to follow its contours.

13 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 3.814.085 sum 10$ 2 PATENTEDJUM 4 1m PATENTS-IBM 4 m4 'SHEUZOFZ FIGQT MASSAGING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIG. 1, the massaging device This invention relates to an improved type of device 5 there illustrated includes a frame 11 which is adapted for massaging the human body. Certain features of the invention have been shown in a Disclosure Document No. 005661 filed in the United States Patent Office'on June 21, I971.

There have in the past been devised many different types of power driven exercising and massaging machines, which have been utilized in reducing salons, exercise rooms, and the like. However, these machines have in most cases been too expensive and complex for the average person to maintain or use in his home, and they consequently have been used much less widely than would be desired.

SUMMARY or THE INVENTION The present invention provides a unique massaging device which is structurally very simple and inexpensive, and yet can attain a very effective and efficient massaging action. The device of the invention acts to apply massaging force to a users body at a number of different points thereabout simultaneously, and in a yielding manner permitting the device to follow and effectively massage the body contours.

structurally, the device includes a frame which ex- I tends at least partially, and preferably entirely, about the body, and carries massaging means yieldingly urged inwardly relative to the frame. These massaging means may include a plurality of elements for contacting the users body at different locations thereabout, and desirably taking the form of a number of rollers which are mounted to roll upwardly and downwardly along the body as the frame is moved upwardly and downwardly. The frame may be formed of a plurality of segments which together encircle the body, but are relatively pivotally movable to an open condition in which the entire unit may be easily moved from a position of encirclement of the body to a position removed laterally therefrom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The above and other features and objects of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the typical embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a massager embodying the invention as it appears when in use;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the massager as'it appears when in closed condition and not in use;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the massager, with the two segments of the frame swung to relatively open positions;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective representation of one of the rollers and its mounting structure;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the detenting means for holding adjacent ends of the two frame segments together;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing the pivotal connection between the two frame segments; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a variational form of the invention.

to encircle the body of a user. and carries a series of circularly spaced rollers 12a, 12b, 120, etc. which contact and roll along the body of the user and are spring pressed inwardly thereagainst. Each of the rollers is mounted to the frame by an individual mounting structure 13, urged inwardly by an associated spring 14.

The frame ll is formed of rigid typically metal tub.- ing, desirably-two complementary pieces 15 and 16 of such tubing forming two segments which together may completely encircle the users body. This two-section frame desirably has the horizontal configuration illus trated in FIG. 2, being approximately circular about a vertical axis 17 except at a forward location 18, where fora short distance (say between the points 19 and 20 in FIG. 2) the frame follows an approximately straight or chordal line rather than the circular curvature of the remainder of the frame. The two frame segments 15 and R6 are pivotally interconnected at their rear ends 21 and 22 for relative swinging movement between the closed condition of FIG. 2 and the open condition of FIG. 3 in which the device is readily placed about or withdrawn from the users body. The pivotal connection may be formed by means of two rigid short arcuate connector straps 23, one of which is seen in FIG. 7, and which are received at the upper and lower sides respectively of the rear end portions of the segments. These straps are rigidly secured to one of the segments, typically segment 15, by rivets or other fasteners 24, and are pivotally connected to the other segment by a vertical pivot pin 25.

At the forward ends of the segments, they are releasably connectible together in a manner holding the frame in its closed FIG. 2 condition for use. This connection may typically be effected by providing one of the segments with a spring detent finger 26 (FIG. 6), rigidly secured to that segment (16 in FIG. 6) as by a rivet or other fastener 27. A shortarcuate tube 28 having an external diameter corresponding to the internal diameters of the main frame segments 15 and 16 may be received within the end of segment 16 in a position of projection outwardly therebeyond, with the same rivet 27 which is utilized for holding spring finger 26 serving the purpose of retaining inner tube 28 in such position. In the closed condition of FIG. 2, short tube 28 telescopes into the end of frame segment 15, to assist in maintaining the segments in proper relative orientation, and an inwardly bent detent portion 29 of the spring finger 26 is received within a detent notch 30 formed in the periphery of the end portion of frame segment 15, to effect the discussed releasable retention of the frame segments in closed condition. In the open condition of FIG. 6, the detent portion 29 of arm 26 may engage the outer surface of tube 28, to be held in a proper position for coaction with the detenting portion of frame segment 15. As will be apparent from FIG. 6, the spring finger is shaped to have a camming configuration, so that it is automatically deflected outwardly by tube 15 when the segments are moved together and apart.

With reference now to FIGS. 4 and 5, each of the mounting structures 13 for movably supporting an associated one of the rollers 12a, 12b, etc. preferably ineludes two identical interconnected rigid mounting .which that particular mounting structure is connected.

These rods are guided for longitudinal sliding movement within a pair of associated guide tubes or bushings 33 which extend through openings formed in the connected frame segment 15 or 16, and are suitably rigidly retained in those openings, as by welding, brazing, or the like. Tubes 13 have an internal diameter approximating or very slightly larger than the external diameter of rods 31 and 3.2, to effectively confine these rods and the connected roller for only the desired sliding or generally radial horizontal movement inwardly and outwardly relative to the frame. At their radially inner ends, the arms 31 and 32 have portions 34 which are turned laterally or horizontally toward one another,

and into alignment along an axis 35 which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axes 37 and 38 of the main portions of rods 31 and 32. The associated roller (32a in FIG. 4) is mounted rotatably by these inturned axle portions 34 of the arms .31 and 32, by extension of portions 34 within a central cylindrical axialpassage 36 formed in the roller, to mount the roller for rotation about the discussed axis 35, which extends horizontally when the frame is in the FIG. 1 horizontal position of use. The rollers'may have outer surfaces 39 which are essentially cylindrical as shown, for contacting and bearing against the users body.

The outer ends of rods 31 and 32 are connected together in appropriate manner, as by a crosspiece 40 extending between their outer ends and disposed perpendicular to the main portions of the rods. This crosspiece 40 may, as seen in FIG. 5, be formed as a somewhat flattened tube, containing two openings 41 through which the outer ends of rods 31 and 32 project into the interior of the flattened tube. A rigid wire or rod 42 may retain the ends of rods 31 and 32 in these. positions of extension into tube 40, by reception of opposite end portions of the wire or rod 42 within notches 43 formed in the rods. The opposite ends of wire 42 may be turned as seen in FIG. 4, beyond the associated rods 31 and 32 respectively, to prevent the wire from moving longitudinally out of the notches 43.

Each of the coil springs 14 connects one of the crosspieces 40 to frame 11, and is maintained under tension in any position of the associated roller outwardly beyond the innermost position illustrated in FIG. 2. To attain this purpose, the inner end of each spring 14 extends through an opening 45 in the outer wall of the frame 11 (FIGS. 4 and and is bent to a hook shape or the like at 46 to prevent the spring from moving out of the opening 45 and thus maintain the connection between the spring and frame. Similarly, at its outer end,

each spring has a portion 47 extending through an opening 48 in the. inner wall of the flattened tube 40, and turned to a hook shape at 49 to extend about the cross wire 42 and be locked thereby against radially inward movement and separation from crosspiece 50.

In placing the device of FIGS. l to '7 in use, a user first opens the frame to the FIG. 3 condition, to enable the frame to be placed about his body, and then closes the two frame segments and 16 to the condition of FIGS. 1 and 2, for retention in that condition by recepthereagainst to effect a massaging action, while at the same time being free for outward deflection against the tendency of springs 14 to follow the body contours at all points. When in use, the rollers will all normally be deflected to some extent outwardly from their innermost FIG. 2 positions, so that the springs R4 are always under tension when the rollers are in contact with the body. The force of these springs is just sufficient to attain an effective massaging action, without exerting undue force on the users body.

It may be noted particularly that the circular space s between the two front rollers 12a and 12k is greater than the normal circular spacing between any of the other pairs of successive rollers. This increased spacing at s is to allow a front area in which no roller exerts force inwardly against the users body, so that when the device is moved downwardly to the level of the crotch area, the two rollers 12a and 12k can engage the body at opposite sides of the crotch while avoiding any direct contact of a roller with that portion of the body. The other rollers, however, engage and massage the other portions of the body at very closely spaced locations, as seen clearly in FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 illustrates diagrammatically a variational form of the invention, which may include a frame 11, rollers 12, roller mounting structures 13, and springs 14' substantially identical with the corresponding parts of the first form of the invention. In addition to these parts, the device 10 of FIG. 8 may include also a pair of upstanding rigid frame parts 52 and 53 connected rigidly to the two segments respectively of the frame 111, and projecting upwardly therefrom to carry a pair of additional rollers 112 for engaging upper portions of the users back while the other rollers l2'engage lower portions of the users body. These rollers 112 may be identical with rollers 12, and be'mounted by mounting structures H3 corresponding to structures 13 for radially inward and outward movement relative to arcuate portions 54 of the frame parts 52 and 53. Springs 114, corresponding to springs 14 and I4, yieldingly urge the two rollers 112 radially inwardly against the contacted portions of the users back.

The FIG. iii-form of the invention may also differ by provision of a pair of loop handles 55 connected to the two segments respectively of the frame 11, and projecting outwardly or downwardly therefrom to facilitate grasping and actuation of the frame by a user.

While certain specific embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed as typical, the invention is of course not limited to these particular forms, but rather is applicable broadly to all such variations as fall within the scope-of the appended claims.

I claim:

. i. A massaging device comprising a frame adapted to extend about a users body and be moved upwardly and downwardly relative thereto, a plurality of circularly ferent portions of the users body and adapted to roll therealong and move individually inwardly and outwardly relative to said frame, and means yieldingly urging said rollers inwardly toward and against the body, said rollers including two successive rollers which are to be positioned at the front of the users body at locations to engage the body at opposite sides respectively of the crotch area, and which are spaced farther apart-circularly than are any other pair of Suecessive rollers at other locations about the body, and which are mounted for movement generally parallel to one another and both primarily in a front to rear direction, to effectively exert massaging force against the users body at said opposite sides of the crotch area without contacting or affecting the crotch area itself.

2. A massaging device comprising an essentially annular frame adapted to extend about a user's body and be moved upwardly and downwardly relative thereto, a plurality of closely spaced rollers mounted to said frame for engaging different portions of the users body and adapted to roll therealong and move individually inwardly and outwardly relative to said frame, and means yieldingly urging said rollers inwardly toward and against the body, said essentially annular frame having a portion which is to be received at the front of the users body and which has less curvature than the remainder of the frame, said rollers including two successive front rollers which are mounted to said frame portion of less curvature for movement generally parallel to one another and primarily in a front to rear direction, and which are positioned to engage the users body at opposite sides of the crotch area without contacting the crotch area itself.

3. A massaging device as recited in claim 2, in which said two successive front rollers, are spaced farther apart circularly than are any other pair of successive rollers at other locations about the users body, there being a plurality of said rollers at each side of the users body and a plurality of the rollers at the back of the user's body.

4. A massaging device as recited in claim 2, in which said frame is formed of two complementary sections roller radially inwardly of the frame and mounted to having rear ends which are hinged together at the back of the users body for relative opening and closing swinging movement of the two sections, and having front ends detachably connectible together at the front of the body, said two sections both having extremities of reduced curvature at said front ends thereof which form together said frame portion of less curvature carrying said two front rollers.

5. A massaging device as recited in claim 2, in which said frame extends essentially arcuately about a predetermined center except at the location of said front portion of less curvature.

6. A massaging device comprising a frame adapted to extend about a user's body and be moved upwardly and downwardly relative thereto; a plurality of circularly spaced rollers mounted to said frame for engaging different portions of the users body and adapted to roll therealong and move individually inwardly and outwardly relative to said frame; and means yieldingly urging said rollers inwardly toward and against the body; said yielding means comprising a plurality of individual mounting structures carrying said rollers respectively and mounted for individual movement inwardly and outwardly relative to said frame; individual ones of said mounting structures including two elonsaid frame-for inward and outward sliding movement toward and away from the users body, a crosspiece extending between and interconnecting outer ends of said two arms radially outwardly beyond said frame, and a spring connected at a first end to said frame and extending radially outwardly therefrom and connected at a second end to said crosspiece radially outwardly beyond the frame, said spring being maintained under tension when the associated roller is displaced radially outwardly to exert a yielding tensional force tending to pull the crosspiece and thereby the roller radially inwardly for massaging the user.

7. A massaging device as recited in claim 6, in which said crosspiece is formed as a tube containing two openings at its radially inner side through which the said outer ends of said arms project into its interior, and an elongated member extending longitudinally within said tube and connected to and retaining said ends of said arms.

8. A massaging device as recited in claim 6, in which said crosspiece is formed as a tube connected at opposite ends to said arms and containing a spring retaining element connected to said outer end of said spring through an aperture at the inner side of the tube.

9. A massaging device as recited in claim 6, in which said crosspiece is formed as a tube containing two openings at its radially inner side through which said outer ends of said arms project into the interior of the tube, and an elongated member extending longitudinally within said tube and connected to and retaining said ends of said arms, said outer end of said spring being connected to said elongated member at a location between said arms.

10. A massaging device as recited in claim 6, in which said crosspiece is formed as a tube containing two openings at its radially inner side through which said outer ends of said arms project into the interior of the tube, and an elongated member extending longitudinally within said tube and retaining said ends of said arms therein by reception of its opposite end portions within recesses in said arms, said outer end of said spring having a portion extending through an aperture at the radially inner side of said tube and connecting to said elongated member at a location between said arms.

11. A massaging device as recited in claim 4, in which said frame is formed as a tubular member extending about the users body, there being sleeves projecting in an essentially radial direction through said tubular member and disposed about said arms and guiding said mounting'structures for only radially inward and outward movement relative to the frame.

12. A massaging device as recited in claim 4, in which said arms are formed as rods of essentially uniform diameter having radially inner ends turned toward one another to provide portions in axial alignment with one another mounting an associated roller for relative rotation.

13. A massaging device as recited in claim 6, in which said crosspiece is formed as a tube containing two openings at its radially inner side through which said outer ends of said arms project into the interior of the tube, and an elongated member extending longitudinally within said tube and retaining said ends of said arms therein by reception of its opposite end portions within recesses in said arms, said outer end of said spring having a portion extending through an aperture at the radially inner side of said tube and connecting to .ible together at the front of the users body and each forming part of said portion of less curvature, said rollers including two successive rollers which are carried by said frame portion of less curvature for engagement with the users body at opposite sides respectively of the crotch area, and which are spaced farther apart circularly than are any other pair of successive rollers at other locations about the body, and which are mounted for movement generally parallel to one another and both primarily in a front to rear direction, to effectively exert massaging force against the users body at said opposite sides of the crotch area without contacting or affecting the crotch area itself, each of said sections of the frame being a tubular member, there being sleeves extending through said tubular members and guiding said arms for. generally radial movement relative to the frame, said arms having inner ends turned toward one another into essential alignment and mounting the associated rollers for rotation relative thereto. 

1. A massaging device comprising a frame adapted to extend about a user''s body and be moved upwardly and downwardly relative thereto, a plurality of circularly spaced rollers mounted to said frame for engaging different portions of the user''s body and adapted to roll therealong and move individually inwardly and outwardly relative to said frame, and means yieldingly urging said rollers inwardly toward and against the body, said rollers including two successive rollers which are to be positioned at the front of the user''s body at locations to engage the body at opposite sides respectively of the crotch area, and which are spaced farther apart circularly than are any other pair of successive rollers at other locations about the body, and which are mounted for movement generally parallel to one another and both primarily in a front to rear direction, to effectively exert massaging force against the user''s body at said opposite sides of the crotch area without contacting or affecting the crotch area itself.
 2. A massaging device comprising an essentially annular frame adapted to extend about a user''s body and be moved upwardly and downwardly relative thereto, a plurality of closely spaced rollers mounted to said frame for engaging different portions of the user''s body and adapted to roll therealong and move individually inwardly and outwardly relative to said frame, and means yieldingly urging said rollers inwardly toward and against the body, said essentially annular frame having a portion which is to be received at the front of the user''s body and which has less curvature than the remainder of the frame, said rollers including two successive front rollers which are mounted to said frame portion of less curvature for movement generally parallel to one another and primarily in a front to rear direction, and which Are positioned to engage the user''s body at opposite sides of the crotch area without contacting the crotch area itself.
 3. A massaging device as recited in claim 2, in which said two successive front rollers are spaced farther apart circularly than are any other pair of successive rollers at other locations about the user''s body, there being a plurality of said rollers at each side of the user''s body and a plurality of the rollers at the back of the user''s body.
 4. A massaging device as recited in claim 2, in which said frame is formed of two complementary sections having rear ends which are hinged together at the back of the user''s body for relative opening and closing swinging movement of the two sections, and having front ends detachably connectible together at the front of the body, said two sections both having extremities of reduced curvature at said front ends thereof which form together said frame portion of less curvature carrying said two front rollers.
 5. A massaging device as recited in claim 2, in which said frame extends essentially arcuately about a predetermined center except at the location of said front portion of less curvature.
 6. A massaging device comprising a frame adapted to extend about a user''s body and be moved upwardly and downwardly relative thereto; a plurality of circularly spaced rollers mounted to said frame for engaging different portions of the user''s body and adapted to roll therealong and move individually inwardly and outwardly relative to said frame; and means yieldingly urging said rollers inwardly toward and against the body; said yielding means comprising a plurality of individual mounting structures carrying said rollers respectively and mounted for individual movement inwardly and outwardly relative to said frame; individual ones of said mounting structures including two elongated generally parallel arms carrying an associated roller radially inwardly of the frame and mounted to said frame for inward and outward sliding movement toward and away from the user''s body, a crosspiece extending between and interconnecting outer ends of said two arms radially outwardly beyond said frame, and a spring connected at a first end to said frame and extending radially outwardly therefrom and connected at a second end to said crosspiece radially outwardly beyond the frame, said spring being maintained under tension when the associated roller is displaced radially outwardly to exert a yielding tensional force tending to pull the crosspiece and thereby the roller radially inwardly for massaging the user.
 7. A massaging device as recited in claim 6, in which said crosspiece is formed as a tube containing two openings at its radially inner side through which the said outer ends of said arms project into its interior, and an elongated member extending longitudinally within said tube and connected to and retaining said ends of said arms.
 8. A massaging device as recited in claim 6, in which said crosspiece is formed as a tube connected at opposite ends to said arms and containing a spring retaining element connected to said outer end of said spring through an aperture at the inner side of the tube.
 9. A massaging device as recited in claim 6, in which said crosspiece is formed as a tube containing two openings at its radially inner side through which said outer ends of said arms project into the interior of the tube, and an elongated member extending longitudinally within said tube and connected to and retaining said ends of said arms, said outer end of said spring being connected to said elongated member at a location between said arms.
 10. A massaging device as recited in claim 6, in which said crosspiece is formed as a tube containing two openings at its radially inner side through which said outer ends of said arms project into the interior of the tube, and an elongated member extending longitudinally within said tube and retaining said ends of said arms therein by reception of its opposite end portions within receSses in said arms, said outer end of said spring having a portion extending through an aperture at the radially inner side of said tube and connecting to said elongated member at a location between said arms.
 11. A massaging device as recited in claim 4, in which said frame is formed as a tubular member extending about the user''s body, there being sleeves projecting in an essentially radial direction through said tubular member and disposed about said arms and guiding said mounting structures for only radially inward and outward movement relative to the frame.
 12. A massaging device as recited in claim 4, in which said arms are formed as rods of essentially uniform diameter having radially inner ends turned toward one another to provide portions in axial alignment with one another mounting an associated roller for relative rotation.
 13. A massaging device as recited in claim 6, in which said crosspiece is formed as a tube containing two openings at its radially inner side through which said outer ends of said arms project into the interior of the tube, and an elongated member extending longitudinally within said tube and retaining said ends of said arms therein by reception of its opposite end portions within recesses in said arms, said outer end of said spring having a portion extending through an aperture at the radially inner side of said tube and connecting to said elongated member at a location between said arms, said frame extending essentially arcuately about a predetermined center at the opposite sides and back of a user''s body but having a portion to be received at the front of the user''s body which is of less curvature than the remainder of the frame, said frame being formed of two complementary sections hinged together at the back of the user''s body and detachably connectible together at the front of the user''s body and each forming part of said portion of less curvature, said rollers including two successive rollers which are carried by said frame portion of less curvature for engagement with the user''s body at opposite sides respectively of the crotch area, and which are spaced farther apart circularly than are any other pair of successive rollers at other locations about the body, and which are mounted for movement generally parallel to one another and both primarily in a front to rear direction, to effectively exert massaging force against the user''s body at said opposite sides of the crotch area without contacting or affecting the crotch area itself, each of said sections of the frame being a tubular member, there being sleeves extending through said tubular members and guiding said arms for generally radial movement relative to the frame, said arms having inner ends turned toward one another into essential alignment and mounting the associated rollers for rotation relative thereto. 